How to be a Great Miltonian
What follows are the Top Ten complaints I have received this year, so far. Let’s work on all of them together in the months to come with a view to eliminating them and creating a better place for all of us to live, work and play:
Challenge:
Speeding through residential neighbourhoods
Solution:
Demographically, Milton is now the youngest community in Halton and one of the youngest in the Greater Toronto Area. That means there are a lot of young people crossing and sometimes playing on our residential streets, riding bicycles and attending our schools. Please follow the speed limit, drive according to the road conditions, watch out for children and, overall, drive defensively. No-one wants to see anyone make a mistake on our streets that they will regret for the rest of their lives.
Challenge:
Dropping dog poop in biodegradable bags on the ground
Solution:
While picking up after your dog is appreciated, dropping it back on the ground in a supposedly (it’s simply not in our Canadian climate) biodegradable bag is not appreciated. Ideally, please take it home with you. The Town of Milton’s Animal Control Bylaw requires that owners pick up after their dogs. The Region of Halton advises that dog poop and bagged dog poop be placed in the general waste bag and not the green bin, for public health reasons.
Challenge:
Allowing long grass and weeds to grow on lawns
Solution:
Keep Milton beautiful — cut your lawn and the boulevard in front of your home on a regular basis. After you have cut the grass, immediately collect the grass clippings from the sidewalk or street because leaving them there is a violation of the Town’s Road Fouling Bylaw. To help avoid leaving grass on the sidewalk or street, buy a grass bag for your mower or turn the mower around so the grass clippings land on the boulevard or lawn. And, if there is garbage or animal waste on your lawn, pick it up immediately as it is unsightly, smelly and attracts rodents. The Town of Milton’s Clean Yards Bylaw does not permit grass or weeds to be more than 8 inches or 20.32 cm tall. If you are unable to cut your grass because of a physical ailment or disability, please notify the Town.
Challenge:
Renting out basement apartments
Solution:
Basement apartments are illegal, unless application is made to the Town of Milton and permission is granted. Illegal basement apartments put additional pressure on all of the Town’s key services, including hydro, library and recreational facilities, schools, transportation networks, water and sewer infrastructure, etc.
Challenge:
Storing recycling/garbage bins on the front porch
Solution:
The vast majority of homes in Milton have a garage or carport, both of which were designed to store automobiles, lawn mowers, tools and recycling bins/ garbage bins. Leaving recycling and garbage bins on your front porch or on your front yard is unsightly, smelly and attracts rodents. It is also a violation of the Town’s Property Standards Bylaw.
Challenge:
Running red lights
Solution:
It has become all too common in Milton, but that doesn’t make it right. It is against the law to run a red light. When you do it, you put your own life at risk as well as someone else’s. Allowing long grass and weeds to grow on lawns.
Challenge:
Placing basketball nets on boulevards
Solution:
Basketball nets are permitted to be placed on a driveway or on the edge of the roadway in front of the driveway. Please ensure they are properly secured to prevent a possible injury from a tip-over. Placing them on the boulevard is a violation of the Town’s Road Fouling Bylaw. Doing so has the potential to destroy the grass and damage nearby trees. Once they are no longer in use, they should immediately be placed in the garage or on the driveway adjacent to the garage.
Challenge:
Building driveway extensions
Solution:
Driveway extensions are permitted on the property owner’s portion of the driveway without a permit, provided the extension meets the Town’s Zoning Bylaw criteria. No extensions are permitted on the public property portion of the driveway. Doing so is a violation of the Town’s Road Fouling Bylaw.
Challenge:
Making noise
Solution:
Milton’s neighbourhoods are to be quiet between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. Depending on the type of noise, the evening hour can be extended to 11 p.m. That’s only fair to those who work, those with young children, those who are struggling with a family matter or others who just want to get a good night’s rest. For the sake of your neighbours, keep the music down, put the Harley to bed early and take the Jays-Yankees debate inside.
Challenge:
Making illegal u-turns
Solution:
Making u-turns is legal, except through intersections, where there is signage indicating that you cannot do so and where you cannot clearly see at least 150 metres of roadway in both directions.
The How To Be A Great Miltonian series, established by Mr. Challinor in the summer of 2019, has been adopted by The Town of Milton through its How To Be A Good Neighbour series, available at: Be a Good Neighbour Information – Town of Milton.